BREA — In championship games, teams often need contributions from their star players and role players to bring home the championship plaque.
Beckman got top performances from its star players and from unexpected players in a thrilling overtime win, 30-24, over Brea Olinda in the CIF-SS Division 8 championship Friday at Brea Olinda High.
The championship is the first for Beckman (11-3) in school history. Beckman most recently reached the Southern Division championship game in 2011.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Beckman coach Marcello Giuliano said. “I am so proud of the boys. Every high school football player puts in a lot of work, but I think we work harder than a lot of people. I’m so happy they got that payoff.”
Beckman’s star player Makhi Czaykowski ran for 112 yards on just 10 carries with three touchdowns. Czaykowski, who is typically a mild-mannered young man, launched the ball in the air after scoring the game-winning touchdown in overtime.
Beckman’s Makhi Czaykowski runs for the game-winning 6-yd TD in overtime!
Final: Beckman 30, Brea Olinda 24, OT. First CIF championship in school-history for Beckman @ocvarsity @OCRegSports @SteveFryer @ocvarsityguy @latsondheimer @beckmanfootball pic.twitter.com/c7pJzpDauB
— Michael Huntley (@mikehuntley63) November 29, 2025
“It’s unreal. I don’t really know how to explain how I’m feeling right now,” Czaykowski said. “I’m not a guy who shows my emotions but after that touchdown I was ecstatic. The linemen were incredible.”
Beckman would not have even reached overtime if it weren’t for an incredible special teams play. With six seconds left in the game, holder Tyson Le fielded a high snap, placed the ball on the tee for kicker Aiden Wimberly to make a game-tying 35-yard field goal.
Aiden Wimberly makes a game-tying 35-yd field goal for Beckman with 2 seconds left. What a hold by Tyson Le. We are headed to overtime.
Beckman 24, Brea Olinda 24, going to OT for the Division 8 title @ocvarsity @SteveFryer @ocvarsityguy @latsondheimer @aidwimberly pic.twitter.com/YU0pdawvsb
— Michael Huntley (@mikehuntley63) November 29, 2025
Le, who is the team’s third-string holder, managed to field the snap and place the ball without his knee touching the ground which may have ruled the play dead.
“He’s a backup safety who doesn’t get a lot of playing time but is critical on special teams,” Giuliano said of Le. “He bought into the idea that if you’re on the field, you’re the most important player on our team. Aiden’s been a terrific kicker all year but that kick doesn’t happen without Tyson.”
Brea Olinda (10-4) took the lead with 2:35 remaining in the game on a 25-yard field goal by Colby Thuman.
In overtime, Brea Olinda had the ball first but pressure by Beckman’s defensive line prevented the Wildcats from advancing the ball. Brea attempted a 43-yard field goal but the ball hit the bottom of the goal post and the kick was no good.
Brea Olinda quarterback Gavyn Nicholson threw for 152 yards and ran for 76 yards with two touchdowns. Running back Kolotolu Liti ran for 137 yards with a score.
“I thought they (Brea Olinda) called a really good game and the quarterback did a fantastic job on the run/pass read game,” Giuliano said. “It came to a point where the only thing that works is pressure. And that’s what gave us the opportunity to get off the field, coming from as many different angles as we could think of.”
After an interception by Troy LaGraffe, Brea Olinda completed a 14-play, 80-yard scoring drive with a 5-yard run from Nicholson to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead.
Beckman responded with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Noah Nam to Julian Rosa to tie the game at seven early in the second quarter.
Beckman’s defense forced a turnover on downs and quickly scored on a 38-yard touchdown run by Czaykowski to take a 14-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
Brea opened the second half with a long touchdown drive capped by a 2-yard touchdown run by Liti to tie the game at 14-14.
Czaykowski and Nicholson traded touchdown runs to keep the game tied at 21 early in the fourth quarter.
Nam threw for 128 yards and had a 16-yard run in overtime to set up the game-winning touchdown. Nathan Tuttle had two sacks for Beckman and Rian Silva had one. Xavier Musselman-Cano had an interception in the endzone for the Patriots, his ninth of the season.
Ryan Nero had 99 yards receiving on eight catches for Brea Olinda, who was seeking its first CIF championship since 2001.